Drive or Fly: Ronkonkoma, NY to Manhattan, NY?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for ISP–LGA. At 50 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 15m

Distance

50.4 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

20 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

2h 25m

5m in the air

Air Distance

45 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ronkonkoma, NY → ISP 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Ronkonkoma, NY ISP — Long Island MacArthur Airport 1 mi, ~10m drive

Manhattan, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ISP and LGA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 54m

1h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$10

CO2

3 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ronkonkoma, NY → Bridgeport Amtrak Station 38m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 86m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Bridgeport Amtrak Station 25 mi, ~38m drive

To Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~100/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 33m

2h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0255s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ronkonkoma, NY → Bridgeport Bus Stop (BDB6) 38m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 140m

Arrival 10m

New York Port Authority (NYD6) → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From BDB6 — Bridgeport Bus Stop 26 mi, ~38m drive

To NYD6 — New York Port Authority 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 15m	2h 25m	2h 54m	3h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$10	$6
Carbon footprint	20 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Ronkonkoma, NY to Manhattan, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.